I thought I would share how I detail for a living,and a typically job I do.
Sorry, this vehicle is not a Jeep, but in one pic you can see my old Jeep though.

I do not have before pics of the Toyota, but there were no real swirl marks just a dirty gritty feel to the paint. This car is a 2009, and it has never been waxed or ever washed regularly either.

First, I do not use some soap to clean this car, nor do I believe letting soap sit on a car does anything either to remove wax or embedded dirt and grime.

What I have done is come up with a better way to clean the surface of the clear coat without polishes and compound. It is a earth/clay mixture that is mixed with water, and rubbed by hand on the finish of the paint . Actually, I am doing work on black vehicles with bad finishes with a polisher and a foam pad with interesting results.

This is what it looks like when the earth/clay mixture is applied:

Now, I allow this mixture to become dry, and then with a soft rag and water I wash it off. I may have to do over areas again, but this method cleans and prepares the clear coat for the application of the sealant I use.
Here are pics of what it looks like when it is washed off:

Once washed, the next thing is to apply the sealant which is done by hand. Here are a couple of pics, but the light was fading when finished:

I started this job about 10 am, and finished about sunset. Plus I did the inside also which included the floor mats, door jambs, carpet and cloth seats cleaned.

It really amazes me how it takes 17-30 hours to do correction on a new never titled car. I recently did this car using the same method:

Many people who call themselves detailers cannot wait to use a polisher on this car. I did this car completely in 3-4 hours using this same method.

Detailing is not that hard, but people make it complicated. When a defect occurs it is too late, but many on these forums believe they can fix it with a Flex polisher and magic compound to achieve that perfect finish again.

so YOU can remove swirls, holograms etc. using an "earth/clay" mixture?

FIRST of all...if your gonna sing the praises of your detailing methods....atleast come here supplied with photo proof. Lets see the finish of your details before/after under correct lighting. The pics above prove nothing about what your saying. another words.....prove it.

Scott, like other people who are sold on this correction idea as the end to all ends in detailing. You ask me to provide proof there are no swirls on this car. Honestly, what does that show exactly? Anyone knows wax and glazes can cover swirls marks for a period of time. Why do correction detailers never show cars they do months later to see what these car looks like after a few washings over a couple of months.

This "correct lighting" also means what exactly? Personally, my Jeep is not in car shows, nor was the finish new when I bought it used. I realize by actual experience, and not watching a UTube video that not ALL defects can be removed, but only covered up. Unfortunately, many people such as yourself cannot understand that there is a consequence for covering up defects with polishes , glazes, and wax, and it is called correction. The only reason it is needed is because people continue to use wax, and it is very expensive and time consuming to apply and remove these products.

As I mentioned this car did not have swirl marks, but had a real gritty feel to it, and I really do not know how to show that in a picture. I have never stated that what I do can remove all existing defects, nor do I believe that using basically grease to cover them up is a LT solution either. What I have said more than once is that use a product that protects against damage, so if bird droppings land on your vehicle there is no urgent risk to remove it to prevent etching of the clear coat.

The pictures I showed of the earth/clay on the Toyota can remove buildup from waxes and glazes, but not actual scratches caused from keying a vehicle for example.

Scott, why not answer this question for me: What does a correction detailer writeup of a vehicle show you exactly? What it shows me is why do new cars look like this in the first place.

Clearly, you and many others on forums never gave this much thought, and instead makes elaborate excuses by saying a dirty wash mitt ,or the wrong MF towels were used when really it boils down to the simple fact is that wax applied to a clear coat is the main problem.

The pictures below show the condition of the exterior the day it was dropped off at the shop. Keep in mind that it had just left the body shop and was wearing a fresh coat of glaze which was hiding a good amount of the defects. I knew once it was properly prepped, it was only going to get worse.

The headline for this Article is: Worst Detail of 2009!

Do you really believe improper washing methods,or a dirty wash mitt caused this damage?You dwell on pictures for proof, but honestly do you think this car looked this bad from the body shop? No, after a couple of washings it started to look worse.

I totally expected this rambling, condescending remark from you with 0 proof and 0 methods used. You know nothing about me...but you assume I have watched youtube videos for detailing how tos insyead of real life experience. I have been detailing since I was 12 yrs old. my father owned a pro detailer shop with thousands of customers including all the local auto dealerships. I have over 25 years of so called 'detailing' experience.
The facts are most damage to paints is TOTALLY improper washing methods. Either the wrong materials, method or know how. The biggest thing to cause damage IMHO is dirt. Either dirty water, dirty towels, mitts etc. People unknowingly use dirty car wash brushes, dirty towels, dirty wash mitts, dirty water etc. I have literally seen a detail guy at a local dealership take a car off the new car carrier and wash it with dirty water, dirty mitt and then dry it with a dirty sham that he used on 10 other cars that day. Improper wash technics is the biggest problem. Not wax. But improperly applied wax...on an improperly prepped/washed car is also a problem and the reason why you see new cars that needs "corrected".
I am NOT sold on the correction idea for maintaining. I have only done 2 in the last 6-8 years. One was on my 2006 Jeep that my wife drove for awhile and ran through carwashes. car washes are another HUGE problem for cars....but we'll discuss that another time. I had to remove lots of holograms(like whats shown in your pic) I do NOT use glazes to cover them up as you say. You know nothing about me or what I use. I have tried waxes and all the gimmick products that have come along the past 20 years since Ive started maintaining my own vehicles. Not gonna lie and say I haven't. But even saying that...Ive pretty much stuck to a certain few products that I find induces the least amount of scratching, etching or holograms. Stopping all of it is impossible....people are gonna lean against your paint finish, touch it with dirty hands or material. Outside contaminants are gonna get on your paint REGARDLESS what you use on it. Bird poo, acid rain, fallout from the manufacturing process, road salt etc etc. I can honestly say...my washing method right now induces the very least amount of surface damage as any method I have used. I start with a good powerwash with just water to remove loose dirt. I then use the basic mothers California gold car wash applied with a foam gun, wash with 2 microfiber long twill mitts, 2 buckets to rinse dirty mitt in one bucket. I then spray off top down. I then use the sheeting method to remove any possible loose contaminants. I then let it drip for a few minutes and then use a low speed air blower to blow out crevices etc. then I dry with 2 high quality microfiber waffle weave drying towels. Now...I know Im not using good ole mother "earth" and clay.....but it works pretty well IMHO.
So again....whats with the earth and clay rub down? Earth or dirt as we like to call it here in Podunk KY can have anything in it. From organic matter, sand, dead animals, rocks, minerals etc. Sound to me like you sand blasted that poor Camry Is there some super secret earth we should be buying to "clean" our vehicles with?
Shjow us pics of your "detailed" vehciles that doesn't show imperfections in the paint after sing your system. My brand new 2014 Jeep SRT is plastered all over this forum in many lighting conditions.....and I dare you to find an paint imperfections in it. Know why?????...I know how to properly wash and maintain it.....

The pictures below show the condition of the exterior the day it was dropped off at the shop. Keep in mind that it had just left the body shop and was wearing a fresh coat of glaze which was hiding a good amount of the defects. I knew once it was properly prepped, it was only going to get worse.

The headline for this Article is: Worst Detail of 2009!

Do you really believe improper washing methods,or a dirty wash mitt caused this damage?You dwell on pictures for proof, but honestly do you think this car looked this bad from the body shop? No, after a couple of washings it started to look worse.

yep...improper washing is exactly what caused ALL of that! That car was abused and you can see that if you look at the pics. Look at the door handles....up under them....scratches done with hands, fingernails etc. The owner abused that car. Its literally been through hundreds of car washes and NOT the touchless....Id bet my Jeep on it. That is classic car wash damage...auto car washes with the plastic bristle brushes. I see cars like this EVERYDAY! My family and friends own them. Their idea of a clean car is to take it through the local 2 minute auto car wash.
Then the car was taken to a body shop for touch up and they decided to use an orbital buffer to TRY to bring out the car wash damage. Classic.....Ive seen my dad details hundreds of cars with that damage.

Have you looked at all the scratches and swirls in your pic?
Do you have any better pictures? When you blow up the first sun (going left to right) reflection you can see them. This is post detail? Yikes
Honestly, when I first started my detail work it required much trial and error (mostly error)
Scott is spot on in his assessment IMHO on where it starts. Dirt where it should not be. Certainly I don't come anywhere near the detail he does with washing but clearly the results speak for themselves. Wouldn't you agree?
You mentioned that you have been banned in the past because of wax zealots, I would be more inclined to guess that it is your tone. This a great group of Jeep enthusiasts but when you come here with guns a blazing telling us we are doing it wrong and we have no idea what we are doing, you are going to rustle feathers.
My advice would be to just relax

I totally expected this rambling, condescending remark from you with 0 proof and 0 methods used. You know nothing about me...but you assume I have watched youtube videos for detailing how tos insyead of real life experience. I have been detailing since I was 12 yrs old. my father owned a pro detailer shop with thousands of customers including all the local auto dealerships. I have over 25 years of so called 'detailing' experience.
The facts are most damage to paints is TOTALLY improper washing methods. Either the wrong materials, method or know how. The biggest thing to cause damage IMHO is dirt. Either dirty water, dirty towels, mitts etc. People unknowingly use dirty car wash brushes, dirty towels, dirty wash mitts, dirty water etc. I have literally seen a detail guy at a local dealership take a car off the new car carrier and wash it with dirty water, dirty mitt and then dry it with a dirty sham that he used on 10 other cars that day. Improper wash technics is the biggest problem. Not wax. But improperly applied wax...on an improperly prepped/washed car is also a problem and the reason why you see new cars that needs "corrected".
I am NOT sold on the correction idea for maintaining. I have only done 2 in the last 6-8 years. One was on my 2006 Jeep that my wife drove for awhile and ran through carwashes. car washes are another HUGE problem for cars....but we'll discuss that another time. I had to remove lots of holograms(like whats shown in your pic) I do NOT use glazes to cover them up as you say. You know nothing about me or what I use. I have tried waxes and all the gimmick products that have come along the past 20 years since Ive started maintaining my own vehicles. Not gonna lie and say I haven't. But even saying that...Ive pretty much stuck to a certain few products that I find induces the least amount of scratching, etching or holograms. Stopping all of it is impossible....people are gonna lean against your paint finish, touch it with dirty hands or material. Outside contaminants are gonna get on your paint REGARDLESS what you use on it. Bird poo, acid rain, fallout from the manufacturing process, road salt etc etc. I can honestly say...my washing method right now induces the very least amount of surface damage as any method I have used. I start with a good powerwash with just water to remove loose dirt. I then use the basic mothers California gold car wash applied with a foam gun, wash with 2 microfiber long twill mitts, 2 buckets to rinse dirty mitt in one bucket. I then spray off top down. I then use the sheeting method to remove any possible loose contaminants. I then let it drip for a few minutes and then use a low speed air blower to blow out crevices etc. then I dry with 2 high quality microfiber waffle weave drying towels. Now...I know Im not using good ole mother "earth" and clay.....but it works pretty well IMHO.
So again....whats with the earth and clay rub down? Earth or dirt as we like to call it here in Podunk KY can have anything in it. From organic matter, sand, dead animals, rocks, minerals etc. Sound to me like you sand blasted that poor Camry Is there some super secret earth we should be buying to "clean" our vehicles with?
Shjow us pics of your "detailed" vehciles that doesn't show imperfections in the paint after sing your system. My brand new 2014 Jeep SRT is plastered all over this forum in many lighting conditions.....and I dare you to find an paint imperfections in it. Know why?????...I know how to properly wash and maintain it.....

Scott we have a difference of opinion. Clearly, as you admit here:I have tried waxes and all the gimmick products that have come along the past 20 years since Ive started maintaining my own vehicles. Not gonna lie.

Since 1991 I have used only one protection product,and I do not have to know how to wash my car properly because I use real soap and not shampoo. I am not worried about stripping the wax, but removing the dirt off my finish.

Again.....your preaching to the choir buddy. I could care less about removing wax.....I don't use wax. I could also care less about your superman airplane sealant with 0 wax. Shampoo is for your hair anyway.....

The earth is diatomaceous earth, and the clay is Calcium Bentonite which comes from Canada. It is not earth dug out randomly from some place. I have used a pre cleaner with DE for years, but recently I started using this on boats for removing salt with great results with a polisher and a foam pad. Harden
salt is very hard to remove.